Carton prepared for reclosing



Sept' 21, 1943*- J. H. sTRAcK CARTON PREPARED FOR RECLOSING 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 5, 1941 f 14 sVIT fi' I -21 r2 W@ A l f INVENTQR, BY rJ/'vco bf Sr/PA cK.

' ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 21, 1943. J. H.' sTRAcK CARTON PREPARED FOR RECLOSING Filed Feb; 5, 1941 2 sheets-sheet INVENTOR. Ikca'eSrRAc/f.

Patented Sept. 21, 1943 Y Jacob H. Strack, Middletown,

Ohio, assignor to The Gardner-Richardson Company, Middletown,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 5. 1941, serial No. 377,532'

6' claims.

I shall describe my invention in connection with cartons for dairy products, it being understood,

however, that the utility of my invention is not conned by a consideration of the materials to be shipped or stored in the cartons.

Parained paper board cartons for the shipment and handling of dairy products are coming into increasing use. Where the cartons are employed to contain liquids they are usually provided With a pouring opening of relatively small size and having a closure ilap. No such provision, however, can be made in the case of relatively small sized cartons used to contain solid or semisolid products such forexample as cottage cheese. To all intents and purposes the carton must be opened across its entire top to permit removal of even a portion of the contents. To this end it has been proposed, for example, to provide lines of weakening at the topsof the straight side walls of the carton around three sides so that the entire top may be lifted like a lid upon the breaking of the weakened lines. This permits removal of the contents but does not give a reclosable carton. Materials such as cottage cheese are frequently kept in the cartons after removal of a portion of the contents. The lack of provision for closing the cartons has presented a serious problem. It is desired that the remainder of the material in the carton be preserved free of contamination, and especially where it is being kept in a refrigerator it is `desired that the contents be protected as well as possible from the absorption of odors.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a structure capable of the same uses as the standard cartons for the purpose but having the additional advantages of being readily reclosed in such a manner as to give a reasonably tight and protective closure. It is an object of my invention to provide a structure in'which will be set forth hereinafterl or will ,be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading-these specications, I accomplish by that certain structure Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank for a cartonA embodying my invention. v

Fig. 2 shows the blank folded and'glued to form a knocked-down structure. y

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the knocked-down structure set up with the bottom closed.

Figs. 4,' 5 and 6 illustrate successive steps in closing the carton after it has been lled.

Fig. 7 is a partial perspective viewof a step in opening the carton for the removal of a portion of its contents. I

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an initial step in reclosing the carton.

Figs. y9, 10 and 11 are perspective views of three different ways in which the final step of the reclosure may be effected after the initial operation shown in Fig. 8.

The standard carton for dairy products comprises a blank cut, scored, and glued to form a hat tubular knocked-down container. Ordinarily closure aps are provided at the bottom of the carton. The actual nature of the bottom closureis not a limitation on'my invention. In Fig. lv

I have shown a blank providing side walls A, B,

' C and D separated by vertical score lines I, 2, 3

and 4' and also having a glue flap E which may,

if desired, have a reinforcing tongue` 5. The main Walls of the carton are bounded at the top and the carton, once reclosed, tends to remain closed and arrangement of parts of lwhich I shall now set forth the above.

Reference may now be made tothe drawings,

wherein: Y

exemplary embodiment mentioned bottom by lateral score lines 6 and 'I respectively.'

. Separate closure aps FG, H and I are, in this embodiment, provided at the bottom of the blank. The tcp closure is to be characterized by an infolded construction. Prolongationsof the score lines I to 4 divide-the top portion into parts J, K, L and M which are not laterally separated from each other. The portion M is articulated to la prolongation of the glue iiap E as shown. The portions K and M have angular score lines 8, 9 and I0, II marking oil triangularvportions of them. vThese score lines do not lie at an angle of 45 to the score line 6, but have a greater angularity; and the angle is so chosen that when the portions K and M are folded bellows-Wise on the score lines 8 to II, the top of the carton will assumev a prismatic form as f shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the portions J and L forming iiat sides of the prism. It will further be noted from Figs. 5 and 6 thatthe prismatic portion of the top is surmounted by upstanding juxtaposed portions of the blank. l'Ihus the part J is provided with an extension 4I2 surmounted byv a. tuck ap I3. The

portion K abovefthe bellows folds'part is provided withangularly related, extending portions I3 and Y I4. The part L has an extension I5 surmounted by a tuck ap I6 and the portion M has angularly related extensions I1 and I8.

Carton blankssuch as that'shown in Fig. 1 are folded and glued to form the tubular structure shown in Fig. 2, and are usually shipped in this form to the producer and packager of dairy products. The cartons are usually set up upon a machine, the construction of which is not a part of or a limitation upon this invention. The machine erects the cartons and closes the bottoms thereof so that the cartons assume the configuration shown in Fig. 3. At this stage the carton blank will usually be paraiilned to make the boxboard impervious to moisture and to seal any perforations, particularly at the bottom closure. so as to make the carton a liquid-tight container. It is then filled.

Closure is effected by a series of operations shown in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive. The side portions K and M are folded in, bellows-wise. This causes the parts J and L to lie aslant and the upstanding portions I2, I3, I4, I5, I1 and I8 to lie vertically and against each other, giving an upstanding nn or tab at the top of the prism. The tuck flap I3 is tucked inwardly between the part I5 and the parts I1 and I4, as shown in Fig. 5. Then the flap I6 is bent over the same. The closure may be made permanent by means of a staple IS (Fig. 6) or otherwise. The iin indicated at N may serve as a handle for the structure. The pris matic form of top prevents the upending of the filled cartons or the inserting of the cartons up-l sidedown in a larger container.

As I have indicated, hitherto such cartons when they contained a solid or semi-solid material like cottage cheese have had to be opened by cutting or breaking along the score line 6 around three sides of the carton. To this end the score line 6 has in the past been made a line of weakening or a line of perforations around three sides of the carton. In my improved structure I do not do this, but I provide lines of weakening adjacent the upstanding portions I2, I3, I4, I5, I1 and I8 so that the iin may be bodily torn off. In Fig. 1 my lines of weakening are indicated at at the top of part J and at 2l and 22 above part K. Above part L I provide a score line 23 which is not a line of weakening but above this score line I provide a line of weakening 24 which is of arcuate shape, to provide a, nap. The weakened lines above part M are indicated at 25 and 26. Where the glue iiap E extends as at E', a prolongation of the line of weakening is provided as at 21.

The lines of weakening may be lines of perforation. This does not affect the proofness of the final container for the reason that the paraffin or other waxing or treating substance (such as lacquer or the like) enters and seals the perforations. Nevertheless the n at the top of the carton is definitely weakened. In the closed carton as shown in Fig. 6, if the fin is grasped and bent several times backwardly and forwardly, the lines of perforation will be so weakened that the n may be torn bodily off as shown in Fig. 7. The carton has now been opened for the removal of a portion of its contents. When the bellowsfolds are unfolded the mouth of the carton will be as big as the body of the carton, as will be clear.

Now when it is desired to reclose the carton the rst step may be to bend the bellows-folds outwardly or opposite to their former configuration. This is illustrated in Fig. 8. The outwardly bent bellows-folds form extending ears, O and P.

The arcuate shape of the line of weakening 24 provides 'a short tongue or flap 28 which, when the portions J and L are brought down into the plane of the top of the main walls of the carton, will either underlie or overlie the edge 20 of the part J to form a closure along the line.

The concluding step of the formation of the reclosure may be carried on as shown in Figs- 9 or 10. For a reason which will be dealt with later, each of these final closures is characterized by a self locking action. In Fig. 10 after the initial operation shown in Fig. 8, the ears O and P are merely bent downwardly whereupon, after they pass dead center, a snap lock action tends to keep them bent downwardly. In Fig. 9, after the parts J and L have been brought substantially into the plane of the top of the main walls of the carton, the ears O and P are reversely bent inwardly. If these ears are pressed downwardly past dead center, again there'will be a locking action which will prevent the springing open of the reclosure.

I have already indicated that the score lines 8 and 9 in part K and Il) and II in part M lie at greater than a right angle to the score line 6. It will be noted also that the apex of the triangles of which these score lines form sides. lies above the level of the line of weakening 20 in part J and the score line 23 in part; L, and that the lines ofV weakening 2I, 22 in part K and 25 and 26 in part M bear an angular relation to each other and are not prolongations of a straight line including the line of weakening 20 and the score line 23. Now when, as in Fig. 8, the ears O and P are bent outwardly and parts J and-L are brought down to the horizontal, edges 2I and 22 and edges 25 and 26 tend to overlap. When the ears are still further bent downwardly as in Fig. 10, the central portions of the tops of the side walls D and B are forced to bow inwardly and bent slightly over and the points Q and R become lower than the corner portions of the carton. This gives a dead center action tending to retain the ears O and P in depressed positions. The same action occurs in Fig. 9 where the ears are bent `reversely inwardly, and in addition another action occurs. As the ears are further depressed the edges 2I, 22 and the edges 25, 26 tend to slide past each other and lock, still further securing the reclosure.

A third way of eiecting reclosure is illustrated in Fig. 11. Here the bellows-folds originally formed in closing the carton are reformed on reclosure and the wall portions L and J are simply depressed somewhat below the plane of the top of the side walls of the carton. Again the flap 28 overlies the portion J. Because of the original prismatic formatiion on the top of the carton, the combined width of portions J and L is slightly greater than the width of the top of the carton. As a. consequence, when these parts are depressed, the corner portions thereof as well as the edges 2|, 22 and the edges 25, 26 tend to catch and lock on each other at a position beyond dead center.

In order to assist in the bending of the ears O and P in either direction for reclosure I may, if desired, slightly weaken the score line 6 below portions K and M, as indicated at 29 and 3U in the several figures. The portion so weakened need not be the full extent of score line 6 above side walls B and D. The weakening may be accomplished by perforations which are sealed by the coating substance in the manner described above. Such weakening in some instances, and depending somewhat upon the thickness of the and the bellows-folds reversed and flattened to l board from which the carton is made, may assist in the formation of the reclosure and make the locking elect somewhat more positive. However, it is not ordinarily necessary to provide these lines of weakening. The locking effect can be enhanced in the several forms by pinching inwardly on the top edges of the side walls adjacent ears O and P or adjacent parts L and J.

v Modifications may be made in my`invention without departing from Jthe spirit of it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is:

l. In a carton, side walls and bottom closure means, and a top closure means comprising parts articulated together and to the side walls, opposite ones of said parts having diagonally `arranged score lines to permit inward folding bellows-wise to form a prismatic top, each of said parts having extensions to provide an upstandto said walls, and said extensions ing Afin on the ridge of said prismatic top, said diagonal score lines lying at an angle of greater than 45 to the line of articulation of said parts to said walls, and said extensions being provided with weakened lines permitting the entire removal of said iin for opening said carton. i

2. In a carton, side walls and bottom closure means, and a top closure means comprising parts articulated together and to the side walls,

opposite ones of said parts having diagonally ar ranged score lines to permit inward folding bellows-wise to form a prismatic top, each of said parts having extensions to provide an upstanding n on the ridge of said prismatic top, said diagonal score lines lying at an angle of greater than 45 to the line of articulation of said parts to said walls, and said extensions being provided with weakened lines permitting the entire removal of said iin for opening said carton, the linev of weakening in one of said extensions having an arcuate configuration to provide a tab extending beyond the edge of its associated part.

3. In a carton, side walls and bottom 'closure means, and a top closure means comprising parts articulated together and to the side walls, opposite ones of said parts having diagonally arranged score lines to permit inward folding bellows-wise to form a prismatic top, each of said parts having extensions to provide an upstanding iin on the ridge of said prismatic top, said diagonal score lines lying at an angle of greater than to the line of articulation of said parts to said walls, and said extensions being provided with weakened lines 'permitting the entire removalof said n for opening said carton. the line of weakening in one of said extensions havifmr an arcuate configuration to provide aclosure tab, said lines of weakening being so coniigured that when the said iin has been removed form ears, the edges of said lines of weakening ofthe parts having diagonal score lines will pass each other as said ears are flattened, whereby when said ears are bent over past a dead center, a locking action will occur to prevent return of said. ears.

4. In a carton, 'side walls and bottom closure means, and a top closure means comprising parts articulated together and to the side walls, opposite ones of said parts having diagonally arranged score lines to permit inward folding bellows-wise to form a prismatic top, each of said parts having extensions to provide an upstanding iin on the ridge of said prismatic top, said diagonal score lines lying at an angle of greater than 45 to the line of articulation of said parts being provided with weakened lines permitting the entire removal of said fin for `opening said carton, opposite ones of said parts forming walls for a top closure, which walls are of a width to overlap each other at the edges when broughtdown into the plane of the tops of the-side walls of said carton and the weakened lines in the opposite parts havingidiagonal score lines being so positioned as to overlap each other when the bellows-folds are reversed to form ears, whereby when said ears are folded either outwardly or inwardly in forming a reclosure and are depressed below dead center, a locking action will occur to prevent springing open of the reclosed structure.

5. In a carton, side walls and bottom closure means, and a top closure means comprising parts articulated together and to the side walls, op-posite ones of said parts having diagonally arranged score lines to permit inward folding bellows-wise to form a prismatic top, each of said parts having extensions to provide an upstanding fin on the ridge of said prismatic top, said diagonal score lines lying at an angle o f greater than 45 to the line of articulation of said parts to said walls, and said extensions being provided with weakened lines permitting the entire removal of said ln for opening said carton, another opposite pair of said parts having such width 'that when they are lowered into the plane of the tops of the side walls of the carton, the edges thereof will overlap so that in effecting a` reclosure if said parts are depressed below the plane of the tops of the side walls, a locking action will occur to prevent the springing open of the reclosure so effected.

6. A structure claimed in claim 3 further characterized by lines of weakening at the'lines of articulation between said parts having diagonal score lines and contiguous side wall sections of said carton..

JACOB H. STRACK. 

